Monday, January 07, 2008

send snow

Hi there! Welcome to another balmy, spring day in North Carolina in January. I know that the Canadians are going to snort derisively when I say this, but it really is too warm here. It reached 70 degrees today in Raleigh, and I wore short sleeves to work.

I know it sounds great, but people, this is really not normal! It is totally typical for us to have a couple of warm days in January or February, a little respite from winter to give a hint of the early spring to come. But we've hardly had a real frost here yet this winter, and it seems like this winter, 60-degree days are far more common than frosts. I'd find some snow and ice very inspiring for winter knitting, that's for sure.

All I can think to knit right now are cotton baby sweaters and felted tea cozies or coffee sleeves. I'm trying hard to knit a wool cloche for my sister, but please... wool? When will she ever get to wear it??

I think it would be fun if I could jump into a teleporter and zip myself over to someplace frosty for a weekend of knitting. Maybe to Moscow to hang out with Kate A. in her newly-appointed knitting corner, or to New Brunswick to watch Jackie spin beautiful skeins of yarn while I knit away in a cozy chair. To tell the truth, I'm pining for a big, nasty blizzard to snow us in and force me to stay home with the knitting needles and a big cup of hot chocolate for a few days. That would be just lovely.

I guess I should put aside all my anxieties about global warming and be grateful for the nice weather, huh? (I hear you, Canadians). But I worry that one day there won't be any such thing as winter; that 'warm' will just be an adjective like any other, rather than something delightful and cozy to share and cherish against the cold outside. Where would knitting be without winter?? What will we do with all the unemployed sheep?

Anyway, since I can't get myself jazzed about knitting a wool hat, I have to come up with other things to focus my creative energies on. Since it's the start of the year, I can't stop myself from list-making, so I may as well share a list of some of the things I'd like to do this year:
  • Design some great modern versions of my favorite vintage knits
  • Write a few stories (there are some already cooking in my mind)
  • Get a downtown Raleigh Stitch & Bitch rocking again, and maybe even attend it once in a while
  • Practice yoga every day
  • Make killer tomato sauce from the garden
  • Play in the snow
Well, I don't know about that last one. I'll probably need the teleporter to make it a reality. Maybe I should add "build teleporter" to the list.


northern ireland looks like a fine place to knit this week

15 comments:

  1. I'm having a hard time getting motivated too. This is my first winter in SoCal after living in Minnesota most of my life. I can't tell the difference between summer and winter here!

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  2. Let me know when you are heading out to colder parts, I'll join you!!!

    Hugs!!!

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  3. Ugh! It's been in the 70s here too, and I miss the cold!

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  4. After living in the desert for so many years, I'd love to move to the cold country again... Lived in MN the early years of my live.

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  5. I'm right there with you...literally. It is with such mixed emotions that I enjoy this balmy January weather, for the same reasons you state.

    Good news, though...I've cleared my schedule and would LOVE to start attending SnB again, even if it's just you and me sittin' there!

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  6. I'd send snow if we had any.
    Last Wednesday it was 6 degrees.
    Yesterday it was 67 degrees.
    NOW it's raining like all hell, and has been for about 9 hours. Had the temps been close to normal, I'd have had plenty of snow to send....

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  7. I'm in MN and it's not much better here. Everything is slushy brown and melting, ugh!

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  8. Hoping a for a little snow on my end too. We're not quite as warm up here - but I wore no coat, just a sweatshirt to work. Doesn't feel right.

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  9. Hi, Yes, Up in Canada, You can come visit me. I have snow, the weather has been beautiful, and warm for this time of year. But you still need your hat, scarf and sweaters.... So come on up! (I know winter just isn't right without the break from the heat, think that's why I love it here, we get a very defined break!)

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  10. I'm in Southern Ontario and yesterday and today it has been 60 to 65 degrees. All our snow melted into mush and mud. :O) So we gots no snow to send you. Sorry. Everything looks dreary without it, brown and yucky.

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  11. i've been having this conversation all day with various people-- i spent the day shuffling between schools wearing a short sleeved shirt and a down vest... and i'm in New York (albeit on Long Island, which is milder than upstate).

    it's kind of nice to not be frozen to the bone when i drag the recycling to the curb... but... seriously? where did winter go? it's very odd. it doesn't feel right.

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  12. ok, no winter, no knitting... aaaaaaah! we just had a warm spell, and 60 seemed right nice... melted all the snow, good riddance... now i'm ready for the next big pile! growing up in SoCal, I love love love the snow and say LONG LIVE WINTER!!
    ps your car could get you to my house within a days drive!

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  13. All of our snow is melting right now. This is actually pretty typical behavior for January in N.B. but usually not quite as excessive as we are having now. A day or two of slightly above freezing temps, but this week we have had highs of 50F and the above freezing temps are not going to stop before the weekend. But..... our January thaws are always followed by a cold snap. As in really really cold. You can come and knit next week when we will be in a deep freeze.

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  14. there's no snow here either... but when there is i think you should come and build a snowman with me! :) xo

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  15. Nah- Northern Ireland looks too warm. No snowpants or even gloves on those children! =) You need a good Northern NY winter- it was -14 yesterday morning with 15 inches of fresh snow. And yet, I still made the kids go outside to get some fresh air. 70 sounds wonderful to me, every winter I pester my husband to move us from this artic climate, and yet we are still here!

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